Chapter 1176: Intention to Venture into Deep Space
Chapter 1176: Intention to Venture into Deep Space
The stone puppets, after drifting away from the Xuanhuang Realm and into the depths of the Star Sea, had lost their connection with Li Fan.
But the shock of what they had observed was far from over.
"How could it be coming from the depths of the Dark Star Sea?"
"Could it be... that another Hunger Immortal exists out there?!"
Li Fan was utterly horrified.
His true self, residing within the Deduction Jade, even had to actively circulate the Xuanhuang Immortal Heart Mantra just to suppress his astonishment and keep from showing any sign of disturbance.
It had been a long time since something had unsettled him to this degree.
The tremors shaking the Xuanhuang Realm continued.
This inexplicable cataclysm was passing.
But the storm of thoughts in Li Fan's mind had only just begun.
"The suction of the Immortal Ruins was generated when that skeletal immortal comprehended the True Immortal Script for[Hunger]. In a state of detached enlightenment, a trance-like state, he brought devastating consequences to this entire star domain."
"But a True Immortal Script is not something only one person can comprehend. The anomaly in the Xuanhuang Realm's Source Dao Province is suspected to be the Tiandu Grandmaster attempting to decipher the mysteries of the Hunger Character."
"This recent turmoil in the Xuanhuang Realm now points to two possibilities. First, the calamity might not be related to the[Hunger]Character at all, but simply the consequence of an entity of a similar power level. Only power on the scale of a True Immortal could affect the Xuanhuang Realm so violently."
"But that would mean an unknown being wielding the power of a True Immortal is still hiding somewhere in the Dark Star Sea. This..."
A chill crept through Li Fan's heart.
"The second possibility is that some survivor in the Star Sea—perhaps even the Dharma Spreader himself—is also comprehending the Hunger Character. A recent breakthrough could have caused this disturbance. Given that the Dharma Spreader was able to send a message back in advance, this is a strong possibility."
"But regardless of the theory, neither can explain the most crucial point: why did this change happen in *this* lifetime?"
The Transformation Dao Stone flickered, replaying the events of his current life over and over.
Yet he couldn't pinpoint what had caused such a massive deviation.
"Whether it's a True Immortal or some other being capable of comprehending the Hunger Character, my actions in this life shouldn't have been significant enough to influence them."
"And yet, it happened anyway."
Li Fan fell silent.
This was the reality of reaching a certain level of power: every unintentional action could affect the outside world, even alter the fates of others. Variables beget more variables, an infinite cascade that ultimately leads to unforeseen events.
"My true self has remained within the Deduction Jade, so he's out of the question. My avatar, Li Ping, has only been active in the Great Qi small world; even moving the Five Elements Great Cave-Heaven isn't nearly enough to cause a variable of this magnitude. The problem must have arisen from the travels of my Sacred Body."
After some thought, Li Fan finally traced the source of the variable to two figures: the mysterious silhouette at the bottom of the Abyss of Roars and the formless entity within the Maze Domain of Rebirth.
"One collects world fragments, the other collects the corpses of cultivators. They must spend most of their time moving through the Dark Star Sea."
"Because my Sacred Body disturbed them, their paths of activity have changed compared to previous cycles. That must be what triggered the tremors in the Xuanhuang Realm..."
"What else is really out there in the Dark Star Sea?"
At that moment, a flicker of curiosity ignited once more in Li Fan's heart.
He had previously assumed that the Xuanhuang Realm was the only living world left in the Dark Star Sea. Beyond it, there was nothing but drifting world fragments and absolute silence.
Now, it seemed it still held secrets yet unknown.
"Indeed. I've always had a question: in what form do the cultivation world fragments in the Dark Star Sea actually exist? Under the influence of the Immortal Ruins' pull, even complete cultivation worlds are inevitably drawn toward it. These fragments should be even less able to resist and should have been devoured long ago."
"But based on the fact that the Xuanhuang Realm has been constantly patched up, and from what Han Zhong saw through the Tian Beast's Eye, there are still a vast number of world fragments out there in the Dark Star Sea. Existing in some way I don't yet understand..."
Feeling the intermittent tremors still shaking the Xuanhuang Realm, a flash of inspiration struck Li Fan.
"That's it! Before, the pull of the Immortal Ruins made it impossible for me to escape the Xuanhuang Realm and explore the Dark Star Sea. But now, with the influence of this mysterious suction from the deep... perhaps..."
"There's no time to lose. The tremors are about to fade, and my window of opportunity is short."
In the Eternal Immortal Fortress.
During the Xuanhuang Realm's tremors, even the Abyss of Roars had grown quiet, not a single dissonant sound emerging from its depths.
The soldiers of the Azure Profound Army, who had guarded the abyss for a century and held their ground against tides of terrifying demonic sound, were now pale and trembling as they witnessed this true cosmic horror.
If Li Fan's Sacred Body hadn't previously taught them the Xuanhuang Immortal Heart Mantra, many of them would likely have been overwhelmed as all their suppressed negative emotions erupted at once, causing them to lose their minds on the spot and descend into utter madness.
It wasn't just the ordinary soldiers; even their commander, the Dao Integration cultivator Shang Shaojun, who had been warned of the coming tremors, was still visibly shaken before such a world-ending catastrophe.
"I never imagined that the vast Xuanhuang Realm could be like a small boat on a river in a storm, in constant danger of capsizing," Shang Shaojun said, his voice bitter.
But Li Fan's Sacred Body had no time to console him.
"Shao-jun, I need your help, quickly."
"What is it?" Shang Shaojun asked, taking a moment to process the request, his expression blank.
"Help me prepare these items. The faster, the better." After sending a list of materials to Shang Shaojun with a flick of his finger, Li Fan's Sacred Body turned his grave expression toward the sky above the Xuanhuang Realm.
"Gathering these materials is no problem. We have most of them here in the Eternal Immortal Fortress. But... Brother Li, what do you need them for?" Shang Shaojun asked, following his gaze.
"Such a magnificent power, before which the entire world is as fragile as a toy... Shao-jun, aren't you the least bit curious?"
Li Fan's Sacred Body's eyes were resolute, with even a glint of madness.
"I intend to fly out of the Xuanhuang Realm, trace this power to its source, and uncover the truth!" he declared, his voice ringing with conviction.
"Absolutely not! Outside the Xuanhuang Realm lies the..." Shang Shaojun's face changed, and he immediately tried to dissuade him. But halfway through his sentence, he stopped abruptly.
"Hahaha, Shao-jun, were you about to say... the *Immortal Ruins*?"
This time, Shang Shaojun was completely stunned, staring at Li Fan's Sacred Body in utter disbelief.
Li Fan's Sacred Body didn't explain how he knew this top secret. Instead, he waved his hand and said with a solemn expression, "It is precisely because the Immortal Ruins exist that this is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity!"
"Brother Li, what on earth..." Shang Shaojun was both shocked and suspicious.
"Do you really think the Immortal Ruins are the culprit behind today's catastrophe?" Li Fan retorted.
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